Breaking Boundaries with Miss USA Deshauna Barber

10 May Breaking Boundaries with Miss USA Deshauna Barber

Almost a year ago at the Miss USA 2016 pageant, it was announced that “District of Columbia!” was be to crowned the next Miss USA. That beauty queen was Deshauna Barber, an African American woman who broke countless boundaries with her flawless performance and now, legendary win. Here’s everything you should know about our #wcw, KICKSTART special guest, and beauty queen Deshauna Barber.

5 Things You Should Know about Miss USA Deshauna Barber

She is a member of the Army Reserves. Yes, you heard that right. This Miss USA is the first to hold the title while being an active member of the military. She credits her disciplined upbringing to helpi her excel both in the military AND in the pageantry world. Training, research, and holding herself to her highest standard helped her stand out on and off stage.

She wasn’t a girly girl. Say what?! Yes, one of the most iconic beauty pageant title holders for black women wasn’t always a girly girl growing up. A childhood in an army family didn’t lend much time for all the glitz, glam, and girly things. All that changed when she was introduced to pageantry and she’s embraced her girly side ever since.

She used to be picked on for her size when she was younger. From her small frame, to her feet, to her arms, this gorgeous beauty queen is no stranger to the self-esteem struggle. In fact, it took a lot of growth to get her to a point where she feels beautiful and confident in herself. And this confidence came before winning the Miss USA title in 2016.

She’s a master at staying cool. That calm, cool, collected demeanor on stage was all real. Whenever she feels nervous or anxious, she uses simple breathing techniques to help ground and steady her. We’ll keep this in mind next time we’re standing on stage and on screens in front of millions!

She considers both her titles, Miss USA and member of the military, are an esteemed honor. Whether she’s rocking the army uniform or MISS USA sash, she’s representing our country. Yes queen!